View of crane for mill-stones. Digital image of AG 284.

Description View of crane for mill-stones. Digital image of AG 284.

Date 1962

Catalogue Number SC 745630

Category On-line Digital Images

Copy of AG 284

Scope and Content Crane for lifting millstones, Tangy Mill, Argyll & Bute Tangy Mill was built in the early 19th century next to the Tangy Burn. A small dam at the head of a waterfall leads the water to a high breastshot waterwheel (water hits the top of the wheel and turns it back on itself). The mill was used to grind oats for both human and animal foods. It closed in 1961 and was converted into a dwelling in 1983. This shows an iron frame (centre) which can be swung over the millstones (right). The two curved hanging bars fit into holes in the stone before the screw above is tightened to lift it and swing it out of its housing. Millstones are 'dressed' (re-cut with grooves) as they wear down. Itinerant millstone dressers used a tool called a 'mill bill', a hardened steel blade in a metal handle. As they cut the stone, bits of waste metal would embed themselves in the backs of their hands. Folklore tells that millers would therefore ask the dresser to 'show their metal' to prove how many stones they had dressed before. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/745630

File Format (TIF) Tagged Image File Format bitmap